As global debt concerns and American political gridlock continues to drag down worldwide economies, the Q3 Yoh Index of Technology Wages found a surprising bright note hidden in the despair of recent economic data. Wages paid by American corporations to highly skilled temporary workers increased a remarkably strong 6.85 percent in September 2011, compared to the same month in 2010 ( Figure 1 ), resulting in the biggest year-over-year increase since September 2009 ( Figure 2 ). 

The increase shows that even as the American unemployment rate continues to languish at 9.0 percent, wages for skilled temporary workers are increasing, suggesting an increased demand for the level of expertise needed in early stage economic recovery. Since 2001, the Yoh Index of Technology Wages has been benchmarking the relative wage rate fluctuations of highly skilled temporary workers in technology, engineering, life sciences, and healthcare. Temporary employment is closely tracked as a leading indicator of future economic activity. By focusing on highly skilled workers, the Yoh Index tracks demand for technically proficient workers, those who can command higher wages and set the ceiling for the job market as a whole.